It has long been recognized that it is occasionally necessary for law enforcement agencies to impede and altogether stop the movement of a run-away motor vehicle. Direct pursuit of such vehicles is often necessary, but brings with it concerns for public safety when such pursuits lead through city streets and other populated areas. Because such pursuits can also result in high speed chases, the safety of the pursuers is also a concern.
As a safer alternative to the direct pursuit of such vehicles, it has been recognized that strategic placement of tire deflating mechanisms in the path, or the anticipated path, of such run-away motor vehicles can effectively impede and stop the movement of them. Such portable tire deflating mechanisms can be deployed with relative ease and have taken several forms in recent years. One such mechanism is a multiple blade system whereby a plurality of blades, which blades are biased in the direction of the oncoming motor vehicle, are deployed. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,774 issued to Behan. Other systems have been used which utilize what amount to large hollow needles or syringes. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. Re. 35,373 issued to Kilgrow et al. Still other systems utilize pyramidal spikes. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,109 issued to Lowndes. While each of these systems is, in the experience of this inventor, useful in its own right, each such array has functional limitations when the deflating mechanisms are confronted with the prospect of stopping a motor vehicle fitted with modem tires of the multiple layered, steel belted, self-sealing type. Such tires are specifically designed and configured to resist and possibly completely neutralize tire puncturing obstacles, including those intended as well as unintended. In the experience of this inventor, blade arrays have the drawback that, while they may cut through the rubber tread, a sharp blade will not be able to cut through several mesh steel wire belts thereby completely frustrating the tire deflating intention of the blade array device. Similarly, a needle-like or syringe-like puncturing device may even remain within the tire, but to no adverse result if a plug of rubber tire material becomes lodged within the inner void of the puncturing device, much the same as a cookie cutter can and does. Finally, other deflating device structures may remain in the tire, but to no avail and with no way to remove air from the tire until the deflating device becomes dislodged from the tire. Another safety concern arises with the use of such devices. And that is that such devices may eventually be dislodged and thrown from the motor vehicle tires they have impaled, thereby causing a safety concern for those in pursuit of such vehicles.